Seiko Kawachi – Female Form with Corset – Limited Edition Woodblock Print #64888

Kawachi, a print artist born in Uenohara, Yamanashi Prefecture, graduated from the Oil Painting Department at Tama Art University in 1973. However, his interest in printmaking began earlier, inspired by the university’s dynamic printmaking department. In 1970, he received the Newcomer’s Prize at the Japanese Print Association Exhibition. After graduating, he taught at Tama Art University until 1985, when he received a Monbusho (Ministry of Education) Scholarship to study at Columbia University’s Graduate School in New York, followed by travel throughout Europe in 1986.

In 1976, Kawachi won the Grand Prix at the Japanese Print Association Exhibition. From that point onward, he focused primarily on woodblock prints, having previously experimented with silkscreen, lithography, and collage. His mature style is semi-abstract, characterized by dark backgrounds and themes centered around mechanical stress. While he has occasionally explored other subjects, he always returns to his core themes. Kawachi’s unique approach combines traditional woodblock techniques with engraved blocks, and some of his works are composed of very large, multi-sheet compositions. Until around 1982–1983, he went by the name Kawachi Shigeyuki.